The Space Between
by Sokka's Fan-Lawyer
Summary: Character fic for Zack from Crisis Core also covers some of Advent Children and Final Fantasy VII to the Space Between by Dave Matthews. Much better then summary! Not YAOI!


Hey there, Sokka's Fan-Lawyer here

Hey there, Sokka's Fan-Lawyer here! I'm sorry (for readers of Dreams and Straw Hat Adventures) for the lack of updates, but life has been hectic and school plus writer's block does not equal quick updates. However, the latest Dreams chapter is written, but is currently with the new Beta readers. The Straw Hats chapter is still being written, but with writer's block, who knows when it will be ready…sorry.

Anywho, because of my writer's block, I've been seeking out oneshots to put up so people know I'm still alive…which was half the reasoning for this one. The other half was because this song is a rather important one to me from when I was young and I happened to be thinking about Crisis Core at the time I heard it again and got the idea. Personally, I think it would have been better as a Youtube video but I have no idea how to make those….

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Dave Matthews or Crisis Core (a copy of the game, maybe)

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**The Space Between**

Zack glared at the man he had once called mentor; the man who had not only abandoned him, but had betrayed Shinra as well…Shinra and everything he had ever stood for. But there was no way he was just going to let him brush him off again...not after what he had done to his own mother. "Why Angeal?!" He yelled across the room as the monsters he had beaten before began to form around the older man. "…why?" he murmured as he drew his sword as his mentor and father figure charged him.

_You can not quit me so quickly_

_There's no hope in you for me_

_No corner you can squeeze me_

_But I got all the time for you, love_

The teenager could only look down at the monster, no, the man that he had just defeated. His now content face looking up at him, now at peace from the monster he had believed himself to be. "Why?" Zack asked again as the water from the fire emergency system that began to pour mingled with the few stray tears. He thought back to when Angeal had come to save him, back in Wutai, when a monster had proved to much for him; Angeal had come in and used his Buster sword and smirking while saying, "you're a little more important then my sword…but only a little". The sword that was his legacy…that was now Zack's.

_The Space Between_

_The tears we cry_

_Is the laughter keeps us_

_coming back for more_

_The Space Between_

_The wicked lies we tell_

_And hope to keep_

_Safe from the pain_

He sprinted off towards the core of the Mako reactor; he should have known that Sephiroth wasn't okay after Genesis had explained his origins. All this complex talk of experiments, Jenova, all these games, all of it, while confusing Zack, clearly could only spell disaster; and it had managed to knock the all mighty and famous Sephiroth off his rocker. The now official first class Soldier gripped the hilt of his Buster Sword, doubt settling in; he couldn't help but wonder if he would be walking away from this confrontation. _…Aerith_, he thought, _I may have to break my promise to you, but we'll see each other again…someday_. With this done, he charged through the unhinged doors of the Mako Reactor's entrance and went to face his battle with destiny.

_But will I hold you again?_

_These fickle, fuddled words confuse me_

_Like will it rain today?_

_Waste the hours with talking, talking_

_These twisted games we're playing_

He looked down at his barely conscious best friend, the man who had managed to defeat Sephiroth when Zack had failed…the man who had been unconscious for a year. When he thought of Hojo and what he had done to Cloud, anger surged through the raven-haired man. They made a strange pair, while on the run from Shinra, what with him dragging him wherever they went, refusing to abandon him, no matter what signs (or lack there of) Cloud gave him otherwise. …But who knew what the Mako poisoning is doing to him? He had seen Hojo's experiments on Genesis and Sephiroth and the results weren't pretty. At this point, he could only comfort him and help him out and talk of a grand future for the two of them he knew damn well wasn't going to happen…but if it helped his best friend, surely the lies were justified?

_We're strange allies_

_With warring hearts_

_What a wild eyed beast you be_

_The Space Between_

_The wicked lies we tell_

_And hope to keep_

_Safe from the pain_

Zack gaped, shock evident on his features. _Four years…? _They had been locked up by Hojo for FOUR YEARS?! …and after all that time, not a single message from Aerith…. _She must have given up on me by now_, he murmured to himself late that night. With Cloud in tow, they would surely be hunted by Shinra at anytime. _Will I ever be able to see her again…? _He pondered as he fell asleep, "…Aerith…".

_But will I hold you again?_

_Will I hold…_

Zack panted heavily as he sprinted away from the Shinra soldiers sent to capture them. _Thank God they didn't send Turks_, he thought as he cut one down that had suddenly leaped in his path. How had they gotten caught up in all this mess? It seemed like just yesterday when he had just been dreaming of becoming First Class, with Angeal and his friend Kunsel, helping out those below him…and now? Now, he and his best friend were the runaway experiments from the very company they had served, having defeated a crazed Sephiroth as well as Genesis and Angeal…when had things gone to hell like this? All they could hope for was to get through this unscathed and survive long enough to figure it out….

_Look at us, spinning out in_

_The madness of a roller coaster_

_You know you went off like a devil_

_In a church in the middle of a crowded room_

_All we can do, my love, is_

_hope we don't take this ship down_

Zack looked up at the now raining sky, blinking as raindrops and blood alike ran into his eyes. His mind was slowly spewing out thoughts, such as '_I guess I'm not going to make it to Midgar after all', 'is Cloud okay?', 'Sorry Aerith, looks like I was wrong again.'_. He could even picture her as he first saw her, her smiling kindly down at him in that church he had fallen into…. _I…really was hoping…to see her again._ The former First Class Soldier looked to his right, where a crying Cloud was telling him he was going to be alright, that they were going to make it to Midgar together; he could only grin, _Guess Cloud made it after all. _He looked at his best friend, and gave him some parting words…and finally let go. _Angeal, I guess I'm gonna be seeing you sooner then I thought_….

_The Space Between_

_Where you're smiling high_

_Is where you'll find me if I get to go_

_The Space Between_

_The bullets in our firefight_

_Is where I'll be hiding, waiting for you_

_The rain that falls_

_Splashes in your heart_

_Ran like sadness down the window into…_

_The Space Between_

_Our wicked lies_

_Is where we hope to keep safe from pain_

He had watched as Sephiroth, the man he had thought dead, killed Aerith. He had watched from the Lifestream as she died, with Cloud and his new found friends watched and grieved. Zack knew, at this point, that there was nothing he could do; so he did the only thing he could do. He reached out his hand towards her like Angeal had done for him…and brought her to him as he had been longing to do many time before.

_Take my hand_

_Cause we are walking out of here_

_Oh, right out of here_

_Love is all we need here_

Together, they watched as Cloud proved himself to be all the hero he had believed himself to be; taking down Sephiroth and saving the Lifestream. They watched as he and his friends and allies began to rebuild the world that Shinra had nearly destroyed. The two knew that they could rest easy, knowing that Cloud was safe and the bright future that Zack had secretly believed to false was actually happening before their eyes. He looked at his friend, standing there in a pool in the very same church where he had met Aerith, staring at him, guilt apparent in his eyes. He just gave his trade mark grin while giving him the thumbs up, hoping that his friend would get over it and move on. Then he turned to Aerith and together, they returned to the Lifestream…and to go to their rest, together.

_The Space Between_

_What's wrong and right_

_Is where you'll find me, waiting for you_

_The Space Between_

_Your heart and mine_

_Is the space we'll fill with time_

_The Space Between…_

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…and that's that! Sorry if it was kinda confusing or corny at parts, but it's my first time writing something like this, so I hope it turned out well; or, if not, that you guys have some advice on how to improve it ( I need all the help I can get!). Thanks for reading!

Read and Review!


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